SURVEY: Fidesz poised to sweep local elections

Budapest, October 10 (MTI) – Ruling centre-right Fidesz is on course to win most county assembly seats, Budapest and its districts as well as the major cities, according to pollster Ipsos.

The leftist opposition stands a chance of winning the city of Szeged, in the south, and a few industrial cities such as Salgotarjan, Tatabanya and Dunaujvaros, the poll conducted between Oct. 1 and 7 with a sample of 1,000 found.

Fidesz is most likely to have mayors in 18 cities with county rights, while incumbent Budapest mayor Istvan Tarlos is a shoo-in, Ipsos found.

Ahead of Sunday’s local elections, Fidesz has the support of 35 percent of all voters as against 12 percent for the Socialists and 11 percent for radical nationalist Jobbik. LMP, the Democratic Coalition (DK) and E-PM each has 3 percent support, Ipsos said. Among decided voters, Fidesz was backed by 55 percent, Jobbik by 16 percent and the Socialists by 15 percent. DK’s support was 5 percent, LMP’s 4 percent and E-PM’s 3 percent, respectively.

Jobbik may do better than the Socialists in almost all counties but Pest, the pollster said.

The hardest outcome to predict is the poor city of Miskolc, in the north-east, where a three-way race between Jobbik, Fidesz and the left is tight, Ipsos said.

Only 43 percent of voters said they would to turn out for the ballot.

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters